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11.1 CONTEXTS FOR ANALYSING ENERGY DIVERSITY Few themes have been more consistently prominent over successive cycles in the energy policies of so many different countries than'diversity'(IEA, 1985; CEC, 1990, 2007; Verrastro and Ladislaw, 2007; Bazilian and Roques, 2008). The concept is characterized differently for contrasting purposes under contending perspectives in varying circumstances. Surprisingly often, it remains entirely undefined in high-level policymaking. Being curiously underexamined in analysis, it is particularly vulnerable to special pleading. Yet the substantive rationales for interest in diversity remain remarkably deep and broad. The aim of this chapter is to explore these challenges and identify a systematic, comprehensive and transparent framework through which to address them. To this end, the chapter will begin by examining the variety of contexts and approaches for the analysis of energy diversity. Attention will then turn to the definition of some underlying common elements. Criteria will be developed for the rigorous aggregation, accommodation and articulation of these multiple dimensions. It is on this basis that a novel heuristic framework will be proposed for exploring different perspectives. A multicriteria diversity analysis method will be outlined, and illustrated using a schematic empirical example of direct relevance to current practical policy-making on energy strategies. As a starting point, we should begin by clarifying the focus. Despite the complexities, ambiguities and expediencies, international policy discussions of energy diversity are all in various ways about the pursuit of an evenly balanced …